Hosts Malaysia hold Australian hockey team to a draw

World Champions Australia were held to a 1-1 draw by 13th-ranked Malaysia Tuesday with both teams securing a place in Sunday’s final in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.

Australia tops the standings with Malaysia second, both on seven points each after three matches. The other competitors lag behind on three points after winning only one game.

Both went into the match undefeated but it was the Australians who had the better of their exchanges.

Australia took the lead from a field attempt taken by Trent Mitton after a quick counter attack.

But it squandered chances from nine penalty corners and several other field attempts, while Faizal Saari scored for Malaysia with a drag flick from a penalty corner.

Desperate defending and quality goalkeeping from Malaysia brought the match to the final final 1-1 scoreline.

Earlier, India overcame their arch-rivals Pakistan 3-1 to chalk up their first win of the tournament.

A dominant Pakistan took the lead when Muhammad Waqas scored from a penalty corner rebound. But India, setting up their attacks from the flanks, scored two goals through Rupinder Pal Singh and Akashdeep Singh in a four-minute spell.

Pakistan slowly re-took command of the match, but in the second half India increased the lead through Mandeep Singh through a penalty corner rebound.

Pakistan chief coach Akhtar Rasool, who changed the goalkeeper to Imran Shah from Imran Butt, said the team wouldn’t win matches if they missed sitters and penalty corners.

“I am happy to see the players performing well. But this is all about scoring, and despite dominating the match we ended up losers,” he added.

Meanwhile, New Zealand finally secured a win, defeating South Korea 3-0. The defending champions rank third in the table now, after Australia and Malaysia.

They took the lead in the fourth minute with a goal from lurking Hugo Inglis. Cory Bennett then converted their first penalty corner, while Andy Hayward did the same later in the game.